Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Treadmill exercise rehabilitation improves ambulatory function and cardiovascular fitness in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized, controlled trial.
Physical inactivity propagates disability after stroke through physical deconditioning and learned nonuse. We investigated whether treadmill aerobic training (T-AEX) is more effective than conventional rehabilitation to improve ambulatory function and cardiovascular fitness in patients with chronic stroke. ⋯ T-AEX improves both functional mobility and cardiovascular fitness in patients with chronic stroke and is more effective than reference rehabilitation common to conventional care. Specific characteristics of training may determine the nature of exercise-mediated adaptations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Effects of clopidogrel and aspirin in combination versus aspirin alone on platelet activation and major receptor expression in patients after recent ischemic stroke: for the Plavix Use for Treatment of Stroke (PLUTO-Stroke) trial.
Clopidogrel is widely used in patients after recent ischemic stroke; however, its ability to yield additional antiplatelet protection on top of aspirin has never been explored in a controlled study. To determine whether clopidogrel with aspirin (C+ASA) will produce more potent platelet inhibition than aspirin alone (ASA) in patients after ischemic stroke, we conducted the Plavix Use for Treatment of Stroke trial. ⋯ Treatment with C+ASA for 1 month provides significantly greater inhibition of platelet activity than ASA alone in patients after recent ischemic stroke in the frame of the small randomized trial.